


Trapped from Life

by musesmistress



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 06:59:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musesmistress/pseuds/musesmistress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mission goes wrong and Kate finds herself trapped with Gibbs until things can be put back together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

She hated it, every minute of it. Well that wasn’t technically true, but Kate was so frustrated at going from town to town, city to city with Gibbs that she couldn’t put it any other way right now. She’d promised herself, after messing up with the last boyfriend that she was going to make an effort to find someone to marry and have kids with. She’d flirted with Leroy Jethro Gibbs for too long, kept up hopes that his flirting was more than just playful banter, but he was twice her age and the chances of that being true were less than non-existent.

They were heading quickly for their fifth month on this case and their seventh location and she was frankly tired and grumpy. He seemed fine, well as fine as Gibbs ever got, but then again, he was travelling with a “pretty young woman” as he’d so elegantly put it during their first weeks. She was a mess, tired, frustrated and paranoid that they’d be doing this for the rest of their lives. Endlessly chasing some run away marine who changes his name as often as he changed his location, literally. If only the bastard hadn’t stolen top secret information before hitting the road.

She was frustrated with Gibbs, her feelings for him still stood. She was in love with him. He wasn’t a complete bastard, not all the time, it just became fun calling him that. Though lately she’d gone back to meaning it and that was mostly because it was his fault she was here with him.

_“Kate, with me,” he said passing through the bullpen with coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. She flicked her sketchbook closed and giving Tony a confused look followed him up the stairs and into the director’s office. Morrow was on the phone when she stepped in and she waited, standing a few steps behind Gibbs to find out what was going on._

_“I said bring the two agents you trust most,” Morrow said dropping the receiver back into place._

_“I did,” Gibbs answered with a snide look. Kate felt herself stand straighter; Gibbs just admitted he trusted her more than Tony or McGee._

_“I need to send two agents in as a couple, Gibbs,” Morrow argued._

_Gibbs turned to look at her, his eyes running the length of her body and sending a chill up her spine. She had to swallow to stop herself from saying something stupid, she didn’t know what she’d be getting into until they explained it, so the best thing she could do right now is keep her lips sealed._

_“I can’t pass as her husband?”_

_She couldn’t stop the brow from arching._

_“Her father maybe,” the Director grinned knowing he had just called his friend old and Kate had to bit her lip to hide her smirk as Gibbs turned back to her._

_“Women marry older men, you know,” Gibbs wasn’t going to let that go anytime soon._

_“Yeah,” Morrow said with an accepting nod. “Usually, they are desperate, no social skills or bimbo’s and the guy’s ridiculously rich. Neither of you fit either description.”_

_Gibbs turned to her again and again he ran his eyes over her in an appraising kind of way that made her shiver. As she had last time, she had to swallow and bite her lip to stop from speaking and she adjusted her stance just slightly to keep from walking away as she blushed._

_“Kate too smart to be called a bimbo, and too pretty to be socially inadequate and desperate,” Gibbs said and she knew he was grinning at her as she looked away completely embarrassed now and wishing she was invisible._

_“I’m standing right here,” she said eventually and heard the director’s chuckle before he spoke._

_“Then I’ll leave the acceptance of you playing her husband up to Agent Todd. Either way, we need to get through this quickly.” He indicated the chairs and Kate finally moved to sit down on the sofa, very aware of how close Gibbs sat to her._

She’d either been foolishly taken in by his comments and teasing or she hadn’t listened properly because of them. Either way, she’d agreed to this eventually. Though she had to admit, she didn’t agree on anything until after Gibbs trapped her in the elevator on their way down to Abby.

_They stood silently waiting for the elevator to reach the lower levels of the building, Kate loved going down there, Abby was the most fun she got working in a team of men and usually she had some silly project going on. She was going to freak when Gibbs asked her to start sorting out fake identification (with the works in papers) for him and Kate as a married couple._

_Kate swallowed hard, what on earth had she been thinking of when she’d told the Goth she had a thing for her boss..._

_The thought was interrupted as Gibbs reached over and hit the emergency stop button. She could have panicked in that moment, worried he’d do something inappropriate, if only she hadn’t expected him to ask his question._

_“You haven’t said yes, yet.”_

_She kept her eyes pinned on the door in front of her and chewed on her tongue for a moment. She had to think this through carefully. She’d love to have some time alone with Abby, discuss it with her, just an hour or so. Director Morrow had made it clear he wanted them on the road before the end of business that day. Though, for their team that could mean midnight, she knew he meant 6pm. She had no doubt he was currently making the arrangements, their living space, cars, luggage and furniture and whatever else needed to be done. The only thing he didn’t know was who was going. Kate, being the only woman on the team was a sure thing, but if she ended up with Gibbs as a husband instead of Tony or McGee was another thing altogether._

_“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” she said wondering if she’d hesitated too long before answering him. Gibbs moved around to stand in her view and Kate looked up at him. “Why did you pick me?”_

_“On the top three teams, there are only two female agents,” Gibbs said, shifting his stance. “She’s five years younger than you, and only half as pretty.”_

_“Flattery will get you everywhere, Gibbs. Is this how you ended up divorced so many times?”_

_He smirked at her and it set her heart fluttering._

_“Most of my ex-wives couldn’t handle the fact that I didn’t talk about my emotions.”_

_“Yet you managed to say ‘I love you’, and ‘will you marry me’ to each of them.”_

_“Yep,” he said nonchalantly. “And I’d probably do it again, only now I’m looking for someone who can handle me for me. Like you.”_

_Both her brows shot up. Had he just hinted that he’d like to marry her? She could feel her cheeks tint and she looked away before licking her lips. Now he really needed to talk to Abby._

_“What will it take to convince you to do this with me?”_

_“Give me time,” she said turning back to see him smiling at her. She checked her watch. “Give me an hour or two with Abby and I’ll make my choice in time for whoever to get their new ID.”_

_Gibbs reached back and hit the stop button to get the elevator moving again before turning to face her. He kept his eyes on hers, forcing her to keep his gaze for a moment before he leaned in close to her ear._

_“It’ll be over faster with me.”_

Gibbs turned into their street and slowed down to start hunting for their door number. She gazed out the window, not really helping him, and watched the houses go strolling past. Yet another new neighbourhood, another new home and more new friends to make. It was only three hours from their last location, but she felt as though she’d been sitting in the car with him for the last three days. He turned off the road and came to a stop in front of the garage door before turning to her.

“You okay?” he asked. She could hear the genuine concern in his voice, but that just made her move agree with him. This was his fault; he could have sent McGee with the other female agent and left it at that.

“Sure,” she said getting out the car and opening the boot to grab their bags.

She dumped the on the step when she realised he had the door key and turned to look at him, still sitting in the car watching her. She knew she was over reacting, she was mostly to blame for this. Abby had just listened as she talked her way into this whole mess, giving a supportive word here and there about what would be better and a snide comment about what a fake marriage with Tony DiNozzo would be like. She’d though of getting him to send McGee and the other woman, but the Directors first comment kept bouncing around in her head. _“I said bring the two agents you trust most.”_

“Max,” she said slipping easily into his fake name. “It’s cold out here.”

“You could have stayed in the car for a few minutes, Issy,” he said getting out as one of the neighbours pulled up. Kate’s hand came up to her forehead and she could feel the frustration building quickly to tears. His phone started ringing as she thought them back and looked up, the neighbour nearby waved at her and gave a half hearted smile in returned before taking the key from Gibbs.

“Walker,” he said answering his phone as she slipped the key in the door. “When?” he asked and she caught the hint of annoyance. 

She vanished into the house and dropped the bags at the foot of the stairs before making her way into the nearest room. She heard the door shut and closed herself off to the rest of his conversation as she took in the fully furnished sitting room, as lovely as that was, like all the other places, it lacked character, feeling more like a hotel room than someone’s home. That just made her feel worse. Gibbs’ hand on her shoulder made her jump and she turned to see him looking sombre and a little afraid.

“He escaped, didn’t arrive at the new location,” he said. The guy’s next location should have been two streets away from them. “We have to stay here until they find him.”

The frustrated sigh was unavoidable, so was the tear that escaped down her left cheek. She dropped her head and thought them back, managing it long enough to ask her question.

“How long will that take?”

“They don’t know,” Gibbs said and she heard him swallow through the proximity. “Could be a few days, weeks, months,” he paused again knowing the next sentence would hurt. She could feel him looking for a better way to say it. “Director says we should be prepared to be here for at least a year.”

Isabel and Max Walker. That was who they were at the moment. Caitlin Todd and Jethro Gibbs were no more and their families only knew that they were currently in undisclosed locations. She couldn’t contact them, couldn’t let them know she was alright, but that was only half her pain and a year with Gibbs pretending to be his wife was one step back from having a family of her own.

She felt the pinch in hear heart, the yearn that had been growing in the pit of her stomach for the last year. She wasn’t getting younger and her chances of having children had been ebbing slowly away, until now. The bastard escaped and she was stuck here, with a man she was in love with who could never look at her as anything more than a trusted college. She was Agent Todd to him, playing the part of his wife Isabel Walker for the next year.

She didn’t look up, just turned away from him and stepped over the bags at the bottom of the stairs. She found the bedroom quickly and dropped down on the bed before letting the tears go. This was a nightmare, it was supposed to be easy, over within a few weeks. Just follow him, catch him in the act of selling the information. Simple. Except that they had followed him for four months and he had shown no interest in selling the information he had and now he’d managed to escape the people tracking him. She was going to kill him when they found him, take his life in replacement for hers that he was now screwing up.

~~**~~

Gibbs watched her go with a pang in his heart. This wasn’t the first time she’d been reduced to tears over the last couple of weeks and frankly he couldn’t blame her, this was meant to be over long ago and he was sure she’d lost a boyfriend in the mix of this. She go back to find he’d given up waiting for her and she’d be heartbroken after finally getting to relax. He knew Kate was strong; she’d lasted longer than he suspected anyone else would have under these conditions. Living only a few weeks in one place, having to tell lies to everyone they met and never making any real friends.

He knew they had to talk about this, figure out how they were going to survive a year like this. But she needed to calm down first or he’d only end up with her shouting at him for getting her stuck here. He also needed to check on her, make sure she hadn’t gone to the extremes and was literally drowning her sorrows, in every sense of the phrase. He grabbed the bags she’d left at the bottom of the stairs and quietly made his way up the stairs. He followed her sobs to the master bedroom and carefully placed the bags down on the floor and stepped up to the side of the bed. She was on her front on it, her head face buried in the pillow and her arms tucked under it to hold it close. He could hear the pain in every sob she let out and watched her body shake with the effort to breathe properly.

Convinced she wasn’t going to hurt herself for the next half an hour or so, Gibbs left the room and wondered around the house. He took in the layout, the placement of furniture and hiding places for weapons and people before heading down the basement. He’d check them out in every house, but hadn’t been in one place long enough to build a boat. The director would call back soon, tell him how long they were going to stay put for and if it was going to be a year or more he was going to build a boat, even if he couldn’t get it out later.

It was damp down there, but the space was large enough for a small boat with a space in the corner he planned to set up for Kate. She could do whatever she liked with it, but he’d start of by getting her art supplies and seeing if her creative streak could bring her out of her current reverie. That thought reminded him that Kate had been drawing when they started their journey; her sketchbook was on the back seat of the car where she’d thrown it when the sinking sun had made it too dark for her to see. He moved back up the stairs, picked up his keys and stepped outside to the car.

The neighbour they had seen when they arrived was still out unloading what looked like a year’s supply of groceries. A toddler of about four followed her back to the car and she paused when she spotted him.

“Well hello there,” she called to him. Gibbs smiled. “You just moved in? That place has been empty for so long I thought I’d never get a new neighbour.”

“Yeah, don’t know how long we’ll be here though,” Gibbs said, his smile still in place.

“Oh, you move a lot?” she asked.

“Yeah, my work takes me all over the places,” he took another step forward, close enough now that he could actually see her face in the half light. “Max Walker.” He offered his hand for her to shake and she moved forward to take it.

“Penny Alecson. I don’t mean to be rude, but when I saw you a few minutes ago, I thought you were younger.”

“I get that a lot,” he said. “That and the question, ‘how did you end up with a beautiful younger wife?’”

“Oh wow, now I feel bad, I didn’t even think she was your wife. I don’t know what I thought, but wife wasn’t it. Is she okay? She didn’t look too happy.”

“Yeah, it’ll pass, she’s not used to travelling so much, we’ve moved seven times in the last five months.” That had to be the only true thing he could say.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t like to do that much travelling. Not sure I’d agree to it either,” she said patting the little girls head. “Well if you need anything, just knock,” she offered with a smile.

“There is one thing,” he said before she turned away. “Is there anywhere nearby I can order dinner from?”

Penny laughed. “I’ll get you a flyer,” she said and grabbed a few bags before vanishing into the house.

Gibbs used the time she was gone to collect Kate sketchbook from the back seat and look either way down the street studying the houses he could see. Penny handed him the flyer, said her goodbyes and grabbed the last of her bags. Her door closed as his phone rang again and he pulled it out and looked at the number. Director Morrow.

“Walker,” he answered and listened to the instructions for his life as he moved back inside.

Hanging up the phone with a dead sense of doom in his heart, Gibbs flipped open Kate’s sketchbook and grinned at the first picture. It was Abby, standing at her computer in the lab, one foot hooked back and a cup of Caf-Pow in hand. Turning the page he found McGee sitting at his computer, bottom lip pouted and hair neat and tidy as he tapped away at the keyboard. Over the page he found Ducky and Palmer in the middle of an autopsy, Ducky was obviously talking and from the look on Palmers face, he had drifted off to some other fantasy for the duration. Tony was next, his smirk clean across his face as he took aim with a paper ball in McGee’s direction.

The next page made him stop. She must have drawn this one their first day out, the house in the background was the same one they’d spent three weeks in. She stood on the front lawn with him close behind her, they smiled out of the picture as if it were a photograph taken on a sunny day. As he studied the picture, he took in small details, his hands on her hips, the way she leaned in to him and the carefully placed hand on his thigh, the hand that held her wedding ring.

He turned again to find them sitting in the kitchen, breakfast on the table, coffee brewing on the counter and she watched him as he read the paper. Then there were various places, shopping, sitting on the swing in the garden, him changing for bed or sat watching the TV.

Then he found the last page.

Gibbs was sat up in bed, shifted over to one side, where Kate leaned back against him. His eyes were fixed over her shoulder and hers down in to the cradle of her arms were she held a small baby against her breast. The detail of the picture made him swallow. She’d drawn his silly grin, the baby’s small hand, her still swollen stomach were one of his hands rested and even the areola around her engulfed nipple. But it was the tear down her left cheek that caught his eye the most. This was what Kate Todd desired the most, this was what she’d been drawing when they started their journey. And now that he saw it, he wondered if this had been what made her so quiet, the want she thought she could never have. He had been sure at one point on the trip that she’d been crying, but when she’d turned to look at him, there were no tears. He was positive she had cried now and had somehow managed to wipe the tears away before turning to him.

They were stuck here, minimum of one year.

He looked up and fixed his eyes on the television, his reflexion looked old and grey. But he didn’t feel old, he didn’t feel as though his time had passed and he knew the only reason he hadn’t had another child after Kelly was because he was afraid of losing more children. Kate wouldn’t let it happen, she was sharp, quick on her feet and quick to respond to danger, she’d protect herself, him, Tony, McGee, Abby and anyone she loved with her life. It was what she was trained to do. But if her own child became endangered she wouldn’t hesitated to do what was needed. He could trust her with that. And he’d be there this time; he wouldn’t be sent away to some half-assed war. He’d be with her, no more than half an hour’s drive away.

He folded the sketchbook back, keeping it open at the page with the baby and got up. The walk up the stairs seemed like a lifetime’s journey with his heart beating wildly in his throat. He could do this, he could tell her the truth, tell her why he wanted to do this mission with her, why he trusted her so much and above all, what he wanted now.

He stepped into the bedroom to find Kate still laying face down on the bed, she hadn’t moved an inch, but she had stopped crying. He thought for a moment that she’d cried herself to sleep and he placed the sketchbook down on the bedside before sitting down next to her prone body.

“I wanna go home, Gibbs,” she said. Her voice muffled by the pillow and tinted with sadness. He shifted, lying down on the bed beside her as he had done for the last four months.

“If we go home, the entire mission is a bust and he gets away.”

“I don’t care,” she said and picked up the pang of regret. She didn’t mean it; she was just tired and frustrated. He heard her take several deep breathes to control her emotions before she turned her head to face him. “How long are we here for?”

“One year minimum,” he told her. There was no point drawing it out, avoiding telling her and hoping she’d forget. She dropped her head back on the pillow, this time facing him, and let out an annoyed sigh. “We can get through this,” he offered. “We can find common ground, things to do, jobs if we like. Or we can just spend our days leeching off the government’s money and do whatever we please.”

Kate chuckled and for a moment her eyes closed. He took this as his moment and turned to pick up her sketchbook. He flicked through the last pages, just to make her open her eyes. It worked, her eyes flew open at the familiar sound, but he managed to catch sight of another drawing on the last page. He didn’t look at it though, concentrating instead on the picture of her with the baby.

“I usually look through your sketchbook when I send you and Tony off somewhere,” he admitted and looked down at her to catch the flicker of fear. “Never figured you’d hide pictures at the back,” he added flipping to the back to study the picture of their fake wedding day. He spotted a small “1” smudged into the corner and furrowed his brow for a second before turning back to the picture of them standing in front of a house. He picked out the “2” before flicking through. He hadn’t paid much attention on the first round, now, as he picked out the numbers, he picked out something else. Kate was pregnant. The picture with the baby was numbered “8”. Where you pregnant on our wedding day?” he asked, knowing she’d watched him study the pictures.

Kate turned her head away from him, before whispering, “Yes.”

Gibbs dropped the sketchbook back on the side and turned onto his side and shifted up against hers. He hesitated before running his hand across her shoulders and down her back. He stopped his hand at the dip, before her back curved up to her backside.

“A year isn’t that long,” he whispered, knowing she wouldn’t take that the right way. “Especially when trying for a baby.”

Kate’s head shot around to look at him. “Mocking me won’t help.”

Nothing he could say at this point would convince her that he wasn’t mocking her, he’d learned from all his wives that arguing was a pointless action, but actions always won. He leaned into her, pressing his lips against her ear. 

“I’m not mocking,” he breathed. “I want it.” He felt her lashes against his cheek as her eyes closed and she took a shuddering deep breath beneath him. He moved his hand again, moving back up her spine under her t-shirt. “I have a few confessions.”

Kate shifted turning into him as she moved onto her side, his hind slipped up over her side. It would only take a slight move for him to cup her breast, but he resisted, at least for the moment.

“I picked you because I wanted to play house,” he said. “I picked you because I wanted to think we could act like a couple in every respect. I couldn’t bring myself to touch you, afraid of losing you when this was all over. I was already in love with you.”

He picked that moment to slip his hand down over her stomach and he felt her body shudder and struggle to breathe as the emotions swooped down over her body. There was no turning back now, he was going to have a child with her, he’d practically promised with the last sentence.

“I want to give you what you want,” he breathed, his lips once again on her ear and he waited, for her to compose herself enough to turn her face up to him and kiss him.

He didn’t hesitate, didn’t want to rethink this plan. Didn’t want to question his reasons for what he said or did from this point on, he wanted her. She was beautiful fully dressed and he had no delusions that she would be any different naked except that he would be honoured with the sight of her skin, soft and smooth, her body taunt from the work outs she always put herself through. He moved his hand up, feeling her hum into his mouth as he headed for his first goal. Her skin prickled with goose bumps as he moved closer to her breasts and paused, more to tease himself than to tease her, to run his fingers along the skin just below her bra.

When he finally moved his hand up to cup her, he found her nipple already tight and peaking through the lacy material. He tweaked at the perk, trying to concentrate on toeing off his shoes until Kate’s hand covered his, the material of her t-shirt sandwiched between them.

“What happens when we go back?” she asked. “When this is all over?”

“I don’t know,” he said, “but I won’t let you go.”

She turned a little more in his arms, and his let his hand fall back to her stomach and up over her other side as she studied him. He knew she was seeking the truth, wondering if he could honestly be this loving, this caring. He knew she’d found her answer when her hands pressed against his shoulder and he let her guide him onto his back on the bed. He raised a brow when she straddled him, knees hugging tight to his hips, trapped by her skirt as she adjusted to having him beneath her.

She kissed him, a slow teasing kiss that never passed beyond their lips before sitting back. Her skirt rode up and he let his hands drop down onto her bared thighs. At some point between dropping onto the bed and his return with her sketchbook, she’d removed her boot. Boots that had driven him crazy since she brought them two homes back, knee length suede, with a pattern of butterflies up the outsides. They laced up the front with thin, dark blue laces and she always wore dark blue socks that covered her knees, stopping just short of her thighs. Now though, she was just wearing the socks, and he amused himself for just a moment with the edges of them, slipping a finger underneath the material.

He was distracted though, Kate had moved, shifting her knees apart just a little more to raise the skirt and he caught a glimpse of light blue lace panties. He licked his lips as his eyes rose up over her stomach and he followed the slowly revealing skin as she lifted the t-shirt up over her head. Never in his twisted brain had he ever expected this. Kate was every bit as beautiful as he expected and her curves, muscles and skin tone made him react in seconds. He knew about matching underwear, what man didn’t, but underwear to match boots? That was new. The lace bra was patterned with butterflies, the design not a direct match to the boots, but pretty damn close. He stole a glance back down to the light blue peaking out under her skirt and quickly compared it to her bra. Matching underwear to go with her boots.

He couldn’t resist running his hands up her thighs and pushing the skirt out of the way. His eyes fixed on the butterfly placed perfectly in his view to hide her sex. He surged up, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back down onto the bed underneath him. Her legs wrapped tight around him and he pressed down with the length of his body.

“Can’t handle me being on top?” she whispered, slightly breathless.

“Didn’t want to give you the opportunity to escape,” he corrected. “I let one dangerous person go. I can’t let you get away.”

“I’m not dangerous.”

“New boots and butterfly panties over your body?” he asked, pressing his groin into hers and revelling in the moan she let out. “You’re far too dangerous.”

She could only grin at him seductively, her hands fisted in his shirt and a twinkle in her eyes that told him she’d been hoping for him to catch her in them.

“Far too dangerous,” he breathed, before moving into steal a kiss. He snaked a hand down her back as his lips moved down her neck. As much as he liked the butterflies the places they covered were far better and he wanted to see her drawings of herself were accurate. IT only took one flick to unclasp the back of her bra and he managed to pull it off and sling it across the room in a single swift move. He felt his shirt shift up as he moved down her body to wrap his lips around her nipple and he closed his eyes and swirled his tongue around the tip listening to the music of her moans.

She tugged at his shirt, wanting to remove it and he had pulled back enough to let her take it from him before he moved to her other breast and then down her body. Shirtless and his pants feeling extremely tight, Gibbs shifted down her stomach, placing delicate kisses as he moved down the bed. He unhooked the button of her skirt and pulled the zipper down slowly before tugging it over the hips to be deposited on the floor. Gibbs placed a single kiss on her thigh before looking back up her body. Socks up passed her knees and light be butterfly panties, he’d keep her this way forever if possible, walk her down the street for every man to see. She was his and she’d be the death of him if all her underwear was this sexy. He was starting to get a thing for butterflies, as it was he’d never be able to see one without thinking of her like this.

He shifted and his eyes caught a slight tint of red under the blue lace. Curious he slipped his fingers under the top of her underwear and pulled it down just slightly. He huffed out a laugh, thinking of the tease he could play with Tony for knowing what and where Kate’s tattoo was. She hadn’t lied to him complete. It was a rose, a red rose to be exact, resting on her hip. Resisting the urge was a pointless exercise at this moment in time. His tongue screamed for more tastes of her flesh and he couldn’t stop himself from ducking down and kissing the flower before running the rough of his tongue over it. The panties would have to go, there was no away around it, but he’d be damned if he was letting her take off the socks. Every man’s schoolgirl fantasy involved long socks and a short pleated skirt. He’d gotten half of the fantasy, he’d have to work on the rest.

Slowly, again teasing himself more than her, Gibbs slipped her panties over her hips. He had to stop himself from sinking in, quenching his thirst and running his tongue through her sex lips. He could wait, just a little longer for that privilege; he’d get there soon enough. He had to repeat that in his head as he pulled the light blue panties down her thighs, over her socks and off her feet. His cock tightened and he got up and impatiently undid his belt and pants before shoving them hastily down to his ankles. He barely stepped out of them before he was back on the edge of the bed, a thigh in each hand and his mouth over her sex.

Kate had sat up when he’d stood, and he’d watched her eyes fix on his mid rift as his hands works. She’d eyed him in the few seconds it had taken him to make a start on his own clothing. He hadn’t registered at the time the licking of her lips as he shoved his pants down and barely took in the sound of her dropping back on the bed as he started to draw his tongue up her slit from her entrance to her clit. He listened to her moaning; panting and pleading as he licked away every drop of moisture she created and replaced it with his own, her thighs trembling in his hands and her hips attempting to push up closer to him. It only lasted a few minutes before he had to stop for a breather and he pulled one hand away from her leg to massage himself as he took in the sight of her spread on the bed her chest and cheeks flushed with heat and her breasts rising with each breath she took. None of his wives had had this effect on him. Not one of them had driving him made with an underwear set or pair of boots.

He slid his other hand up her thigh to brush against her clit and she rolled instantly. He moved at the same time, not expecting her to turn over on the bed and he found himself on the bed behind her. Kate didn’t seem to mind, instead of protesting she snaked an arm back around his head to vanish into the short hairs on his neck. She lifted her hips up and shifted back on the bed, closer to him before using the other hand to grasp his erection in her hand. He thrust up into her palm, the touch unexpected and extremely soft.

He wrapped his arms around her, one hand flat against her stomach and the other resting on her thigh. He had to drop his head as she positioned him at her entrance and latched his lips onto her neck as she sank slowly onto him. The first time her muscles twitched he had to squeeze his eyes shut, had to focus on anything but what he was currently doing. The hand on her thigh dropped down to her ankle he idly rubbed the material over her ankle bone as she adjusted.

She let out a small sigh as she sat back fully on him, her hips rocking just slightly as he hummed against her skin. His brain was fuzzed, he couldn’t have strung a sentence together if he tried, the only thing he could think was how wonderful she felt and one simple, wonderful fact. She had no birth control, she hadn’t been given any pills and they hadn’t had sex before now, she there were no condoms in the house. Her muscles flexed and he realised it had been years since he’d gone without a rubber, it felt glorious. _‘Condom’s should be banned’_ , was the last thing he managed to think before Kate lifted her hips and dropped back on him. She repeated the move, before huffing in frustration, the hand he hand on her stomach limited her movements and he’d be an idiot if he let her stop now.

He pulled his hand away, placing it on her hip and sitting back slightly to watch as she started to rock on him. The movement was too much and it only lasted a second before she picked up and dropped on him again thrusting on him. She leaned forward slightly and let out a long groan at the change of angle, when she lifted up again he brushed the perfect spot inside her and she dropped forwards bracing herself on her hands as she panted through the sensation. He moved his hand from her hip, running up her back to press between her shoulder blades as he push his hips forward so she was on all fours.

He didn’t want her like this, it seemed horrible to him, a bad way to take her on their first time, but he also didn’t want to pull out. He was too far gone, needing to thrust and hear her moan, needing to pump until she screamed her orgasm and he could feel her muscles pulse around him.

She was seriously going to be the death of him.

Gibbs leaned forward, resting his cheek on her back as his hips started to move with a mind of their own. She helped him, thrusting back against him and picking up an incoherent moan with each thrust against each other. He closed his eyes, revelling in the sound of her, unleashed and wild with pleasure as she slowly, dangerously slowly tightened around him. It took a lot of effort to pick one hand up off the bed and flatten it against her stomach. Remind them both why they were doing this, they wanted to have a baby together.

He picked up the pace and listened as Kate’s moans dropped to hard breathing with the occasional gargle as she tried to say something. He didn’t let her get the words out. Instead, he moved his hand down her belly until he could drift it through the patch of hairs and the apex of her sex and brush his fingers over her clit.

She cried out, her body shuddering and her internal muscles flexing on his length as she came, hard. She lost her balance and dropped down to the bed, his hand on her hip and still teasing her clit the only things keeping her on her knees as she kept thrusting. It wasn’t until she breathed his name that he came, pushing deep into her and using both hands to keep her hips firmly against him. He squeezed his eyes closed so hard that when he opened them and took a breath he was seeing spots.

Kate relaxed down and he carefully lowered her onto the bed as he pulled out, the cool air of the room washing over him like a bad reminder of the time of year. Winter wasn’t too far away. He dropped onto the bed beside her and waited as she turned to face him and snuggled close before dropping his arm over her hip.

“So,” he said, looking down into her eyes as she drifted a hand over his chest. “What would you like for dinner?”

“That wasn’t the main course?” she asked coyly. Gibbs chuckled before reaching behind him and picking up the menu Penny had given him.


	2. Bad Weather

Kate sat watching the snow fall, it has been tumbling from the sky for nearly a week now and it was quickly becoming a storm. Four days ago when it had started, the flakes that fell were light and settled easily on the dry and cold ground. Two days before that Kate had started to notice the change of her stomach, the slight rise had she had seen for the last few weeks had shaped the she’d stood studying her stomach in the mirror – finally feeling the pregnancy at last.

It had been five months since they’d moved here. Gibbs had done his best to make things easy on her and had spent the whole of Christmas looking after an emotionally drained pregnant woman. Her family had no idea where she was, they only knew that she was on a mission and while she was out here, she couldn’t contact them. No presents, no cards, no letters. It had stung, to say the least.

They’d sent themselves up quite nicely. In their first week, Gibbs had managed to get a job building wood furniture, his want to use hand tools instead of electric devices had driving the price of his work up. Not that they needed the money, NCIS was paying for everything. Down in the basement, Gibbs had sneakily set up a workspace for her, shopping while she rested to start with and getting whatever the woman at the art store suggested based on what he knew about her. She’d expanded on that since that time, setting up so she could switch between drawing, painting and sculpturing as she pleased.

She wasn’t in the mood for that, she wanted to sit outside, walk, jog or do something required being anywhere but in the house. The current three foot of snow outside was making that difficult and it showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. She sighed, leaning back against the wall beside the bay window and rested her hand over her stomach. She turned her head just slightly, listening to the sounds of wood being sanded from the room below her and wondered if this was what things would be like when they got home.

It didn’t frighten her as nearly as much as it should. Gibbs spending their evenings down in basement building his boat and her sitting on the floor above looking longingly out of the window. Maybe it didn’t scare her because she wouldn’t all be sitting here alone, she’d have a baby to look after, or she’d be down there with him, in her well lit corner painting a picture of their family while the baby played in a designated area. Protected area, she corrected, she’d have to find some netting or something to make sure random wood scrapings didn’t make it to the baby’s pen.

That bit frightened her. In just a few months time she’d be a mother.

They’d talked the first few months about how things would work, for a start they’d have a problem with the baby’s name. They could pick the first name easily enough, but Kate would be submitted to the hospital under the name Isabel Walker, the last name of which would automatically transfer to the infant. They both knew eventually they’d have to tell the director about the baby, Gibbs had said they should do it before the birth, that way whatever they called the baby could also be certified to his or her last name.

The talk had then switched over to whose last name they could use. Which in turned led to a “will we ever get married for real” conversation Kate still didn’t know the answer to. She couldn’t blame him for that, not really, he’d been married 4 time, widowed and divorced three times in his lifetime so far, she couldn’t blame him for not wanting a fifth marriage. Then again, she didn’t want to put the baby in his name if she didn’t get to use it too. A slightly selfish part of her screamed at her for not being married before having a baby and it was this part that told her, that by rights, he had no claim over the baby and its name. Then the part that loved him would singe her skin tell her to ignore her logic and go with her feelings, call the baby Gibbs and hope one day he’d marry her. It just gave her a headache thinking it through too many times.

“Think of the snow angels you could make when it stops,” Gibbs said, pulling her harshly from her thoughts and making her jump slightly. She hadn’t noticed the pause in his work or the footsteps up the stairs.

“We’re gonna miss out appointment tomorrow,” she pointed out, ignoring his comment. He couldn’t honestly think she’d be able to make snow angels; did he want her to get ill?

Kate watched a couple of kids struggle across the road to a neighbour’s house as Gibbs sat down. He placed his hand over hers covering her belly and she slipped her fingers out from under him to let him take his feel of the growth. It felt weird, she couldn’t deny that. Knowing there was life inside her, that her body was supporting it and helping it grow, that another heart was beating and circulating blood because of something as simple as having sex with Gibbs. It was taken for granted these day, most people didn’t realise what they had done, what they had created and she knew for some they couldn’t even see the miracle when they were holding it in their arms for the first time.

“Kate?” he said, the tone of voice making her turned to him to find out why he was worried about her. “You alright?”

She nodded and gave a small smile attempting to reassure him. “I’m not used to being cooped up for so long. I want to be out there, or at the gym, I haven’t been for weeks.”

“You shouldn’t be working out while pregnant.”

“I’m not lifting weights or anything, just want to run the treadmill and stuff. Alex already worked out a new routine for me back when we found out,” she said. Pausing for a moment she chewed on her lower lip. “I really want to keep that appointment tomorrow.”

“You just want the next scan picture so you can compare the size of the baby to the last.”

“Yep.” She was curious, she wanted to see it every step of the way, catalogue everything so she could look back one day and remember what her first time was like. If she’d had that kind of sense when she was a teenager, she would have done the same thing when she lost her virginity; even if that did sound crazy.

“I have something to show you,” Gibbs said holding his out for her and helping her up off the window seat. He led her across the room and out into the hallway before opening the door to the basement. About half way down the stairs he paused and turned to her with a smile. “Close your eyes,” he said.

“Gibbs, I’m not walking down the chairs with my eyes closed.”

Gibbs took a step up and kissed Kate gently on the lips. “I won’t let you fall.”

Kate sighed, gave him a small smile and closed her eyes. She felt his hands on her hips move over her belly before he took her hands in his. She was very away of him taking a step backwards on the stairwell and followed him down carefully still unsure about walking down into the unknown. She had known for a few weeks he had something secret going on, every time she left the basement she would hear him opening the create he kept carefully locked in the back. It seemed whatever he had been working on he was now finished with and the unveiling was at the bottom of the stairs.

She felt the warmth as soon as they turned to the last few steps and a vague small of orange floated up her nose. Gibbs stopped her at the bottom of the stairs and moved to stand behind her. With his hands on her hips he leaned in close and whispered for her to open her eyes.

The main lighting of the room had been turned off, the only electrical light in the whole room was from the soft light over Kate’s area. Gibbs had carefully placed candles around the room giving enough light to show off the item he’d made for her. To top it off, he’d cleared away everything he possibly could so nothing could distract her from the item. Standing in the middle of the room was the first piece of baby furniture. The crib. The solid wood ends of the bed had curved tops with an eloquently design carefully etched into the outside. Smooth bars made up the sides and Kate caught sight of the latch on the side nearest her so she could lower the side to reach the baby easier.

She felt the tug in her heart and the tear in her eyes as he breath caught. He’d built a crib for their baby, carved the wood, sanded it and by the looks of it, varnished it to protect the baby.

“Gibbs,” she breathed taking a step forward to take a better look at the crib. She ran her hand across the smooth surface of the cot and looked down into it.

“Terry’s donating half the wood to do all the furniture,” he said keeping his voice quiet as she moved around the sides. “And the schematics, I have a book of baby furniture to look through, but I wanted to do that before you saw the book. Is it okay?” he asked. She could hear the smirk in his voice, there was no possible way it wasn’t okay. She turned to him, closed the gap between them and kissed him passionately.

“It’s perfect.”

“Being stuck inside with me isn’t all that bad, is it?”

“It’s better than being out in a snow storm,” she said with a cheeky smile before turning back to the crib. “Thank you.”


	3. Family Hour

Kate woke to a dark room and the light breathing of her partner, she didn’t know what had woken her but for some reason she was wide awake now. She turned slowly, a dull ache in her stomach suggesting she’d slept through most of her baby’s movements, and glared at the angry red numbers of 3 am. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before rolling off the bed and pushing slowly to her feet. For the last few weeks, that had been the only way to get out of bed, at least without help, being eight and a half months pregnant wasn’t as fun and beautiful as the first six months was.

She padded quietly across the room and out into the hallway before traversing the stairs and heading for the kitchen. She pulled the fridge open and sighed. They’d long ago decided to place the water bottles on the bottom shelf and that just meant either pain in the back, or pain in the knees to bed down and get some. She slowly crouched down and pulled a bottle off the shelf before starting to ease back up.

A sharp pain across her back stopped her for a second and she quickly sank to her knees as it spread around to her stomach. The water bottle dropped to the floor so the hand could go to her belly and she used the other brace against the fridge as the contraction rippled through her abdomen. She let out a pained moan and took several deep breaths not hearing the footsteps on the tile floor. She only knew Gibbs was there when his hand started running circles on her lower back. She leaned into him as he reached for her bottle of water and rested her head on his shoulder. Gibbs had to reach around her to make use of his other hand and open the water bottle for her and then sat in silence as she sipped at the cool content.

“You alright?” He asked adjusting his position. Kate simply nodded. “Good,” he said rubbing at her back again. “Let’s get you up off the floor then, I’m told it’ll go faster if you walk around.”

“Fast is good,” Kate said with a smile. She handed Gibbs the water bottle and waited for him to cap it and deposit it on the island before she eased back onto her feet.

~~**~~

Tony groaned and dropped his arm heavily onto the bedside table to search for his phone. He’d ignored it the first time, but the caller seemed to be in a demanding mood. Finding the object, he flipped it open and dropped it against his ear.

“DiNozzo,” he said tartly.

 _“Agent DiNozzo.”_ The directors voice woke him in an instant and he sat up sharply in bed.

“Yes, Director.”

_“We’re in business, Capsley’s taken the bait, he’ll be in Gibbs’ area at 10:00 hours today. Get there.”_

“Yes, Director,” Tony said and hung up the phone. He dropped back in the bed for a moment before pull the sheets off and getting up. He had to get dressed, wake McGee and Ziva and get to an airport and fast.

Tony bounced a little as he moved to the bathroom, today would be an end to this case, after almost two years without Gibbs and Kate. He’d miss having control of the team, but he’d get used to it. His only worry, which he would shove away for later, was that Ziva would then be transferred to some other team or dropped from NCIS all together – and he’d grown fond of her in the last year and a half. He washed quickly and dialled McGee as he dressed and collected his things before heading out the door and calling Ziva.

~~**~~

Penny, he could kiss her for her help, had shown up early morning having heard Kate cry out when the pain became too frustrating. She was currently rubbing at Kate’s back, keeping her moving between contractions while he sorted through the bag they had sorted weeks ago. His heart was thudding a mile a minute inside his chest, his brain running rampant on possible problems, complication and outcomes. A list of names for both girl and boy fixed in his brain, chanted over and over so he could suggest them when they knew the sex of the baby. A knock at the door turned his attention and he exchanged a look with Penny before answering it.

Of all the things he’d thought of over the last year and three months, of all the possible outcomes to this moment and of all the times his phone had rung with the Directors number on display – Gibbs had never felt his heart sink so fast. He never consider the possibility that it would happen, they’d settled into their life here, together, settled into a route and found jobs to keep them occupied. But it seemed it had all come to an end.

“DiNozzo.”

“Hey boss,” Tony said with a grin. “Ready to catch a bad guy?”

~~**~~

**9:47 AM – Isabel and Max Walker’s House**

Kate let out a scream behind him and Tony’s brow rose and he could see the thought pass through his brain. The dirty possibility of what was happening in the house. Behind Tony, McGee looked worried and the woman working with them craned her neck just slightly to see inside. Gibbs knew at that moment that the Director hadn’t told them about Kate’s current condition.

“Max,” Penny shouted, “I think it’s time to go to the hospital. Her water just broke.”

He could hear Kate’s panting breaths as Tony’s face twisted into a grimace. He ignored it, turned and walked back into the front room and over to Kate, she wrapped her arms around him the second he was in rang and Gibbs returned the gesture without thought. His hands rubbing at her back, he leaned in close to make sure Penny wouldn’t hear him.

“DiNozzo brought the team,” he said knowing she’d understand his meaning and listened to the small whimper she let out.

“Not now,” she pleaded, “I need you now,” she added and he knew she was worried. They’d discussed the whole day for weeks, talked about how she’d manage the pain, who would be there and at what point they’d go to the hospital. They’d called the doctor earlier, just make sure she was ready and had promised to call back when they were heading for the hospital. Now he was going to miss the birth of their baby.

“I need to do this, Issy,” he said. “If I don’t go, the director will recall you and the baby and I’ll be moved around on my own until it’s over.” He caught sight of DiNozzo and the female agent standing in the door way, Penny nearby had a look of curiosity, but he knew she wouldn’t ask. “Penny can take you and I’ll follow as soon as I can.”

Another contraction started before he could finish the sentence and she growled through it with her face against his shoulder. The pain was different this time, he knew that, he remembered the first child he’d had, Kelly, and how Shannon had screamed at the first contraction after her water broke. The pressure point on Kate’s back no longer eased the pain.

“Go,” Kate said and let him go the second it was over. She turned to lean against the wall for support and he quickly leaned in and kissed her cheek before heading over to join the others. He didn’t stop, just walked between DiNozzo and the woman, grabbed the car keys and left the house.

~~**~~

**10:13 AM – The Capsley Meeting Point**

“She’s pregnant?” DiNozzo had said that same line over and over for the last twenty minutes and it was starting to annoy Ziva.

She looked to the left to see Agent Gibbs’ reaction, he’d ignored the comments so far, but she could see it starting to get to him. For a start, they should have been told there was a possibility the timing would cut Kate out of their plan. Secondly right now, he didn’t need to be reminded that he was currently missing the baby’s birth. She was, of cause, assuming it was his baby, a fact Tony hadn’t yet picked up on.

They had lived together for more than 18 months. Acting as though they were a married couple and had no idea if this mission would ever end. Stuck in a never ending circle of wondering about the future. Ziva wasn’t so sure she could have coped, no hope of finding a partner if she had to pretend to be someone else’s for so long. Then again, perhaps that’s why they’d turned to each other, obviously for more than just comfort.

“She’s pregnant!” Tony said again.

“Tony,” she said before Gibbs could say a word. “Shut up.”

“But Kate’s pregnant!”

“You haven’t put much thought into that have you?” she said. “Think about it, where has she been, who has she been with and for how long has she been gone?”

She watched the cogs in his brain struggle with the questions for a moment before he looked at Gibbs. Clarification dawned and DiNozzo’s expression morphed into shocked horror and then swiftly to disgust. He made a silent ‘ew’ with his mouth that made her smile and shifted back in his seat slightly.

“You slept with Kate?”

She wondered which way round was more horrifying to him, Kate sleeping with Gibbs or Gibbs sleeping with Kate. Either way he hadn’t managed to get passed the sex of the relationship just yet and he sat gawking at Gibbs.

“You had sex with Kate?”

“Tony,” McGee interrupted. “Shut up.”

“You shut up McGoo. I’m catching up.”

“And annoying Gibbs,” McGee pointed out. “He doesn’t need this right now.”

“What makes you so sure he doesn’t need the distraction?”

“Because he’s missing the birth of his baby right now and you’re rubbing it in his face,” Ziva said, saving McGee from having to answer.

Tony opened his mouth to answer back, but something must have clicked in his brain. She could see the question about the baby’s parenting forming quickly and was thankful for the interruption when McGee spoke.

“There’s a car pulling into the lot.”

“About time,” Gibbs said and opened the door to the car, grabbing the case from Tony and heading over to the building. They watched the cameras as he passed through the building and out into the parking lot on the other side.

~~**~~

**10:34 AM – The Hospital**

Kate let her head drop back on the bed, her skin felt as though it were on fire and melting off her, her heart was racing and she could feel her blood rushing through her veins. The throbbing in her stomach was bearable at the moment, but in just a few short minutes it would increase to pain. She’d never been weak, never found pain a distraction, but she’d also never experience pain like this. It was getting to the point that made her wonder if her body would ever be the same again, would it’s currently stretched to breaking state shrink back to normal so she and Gibbs could make love again one day?

She was completely confused right now and she hoped to god it didn’t show on her face. She wanted this over, badly. Her idea of not wanting any pain medication had seemed like a great idea a few days ago, completely, 100% natural birth. Now though she was slightly regretting it. The oxygen mask she was given helped to some degree, but its effectiveness had been short lived and she clung to it now to stop herself from breaking someone’s hand.

At the same time though, she didn’t want this over, she needed to wait, Gibbs would be here - he would. He had promised and Gibbs never broke a promise. Even though it had occurred to her that circumstances might actually change that, she knew him well enough by now to know he’d do everything he possibly could be right here with her before the baby was born. He was cutting it damn fine though.

“We’re almost there,” Michelle Hadly said, she’d been in and out of the room since they’d arrived at the hospital and she’d always brought a glorious cup of ice chips back in with her.

“No,” she breathed as if refusing would stop the baby from coming.

“Isabel, I know you want Max here, but you’re gonna have to face the fact that he might not make it in time.”

“No,” she whimpered, she’d wait, she’d do whatever it took.

“Maybe I should try calling him again,” Penny offered. “He might just be on his way, he could be here before its time.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Michelle said. Kate nodded as another contraction started.

~~**~~

**10:38 AM – The Meeting Point**

Gibbs barely let the paramedic finish with the bandage on his arm before he moved away from the ambulance. Things hadn’t exactly gone to plan, but at least it was over. Capsley was currently on his front on the ground, McGee pinning him in place as he’d tried several times to get away since he’d been cuffed. But Gibbs didn’t care. He needed to find Tony, get the car keys and get going, he couldn’t waste time here, Kate was having his baby right now and there was already a strong chance he’d missed the whole thing.

“Gibbs,” Ziva stepped in front of him making him stop in his tracks.

“Not now,” he said. “I have...”

“I have the car keys and we get a police escort to the hospital,” Ziva cut him off. He stared at her for a moment. “With sirens.”

“Ziva,” he said, “remind me to replace Tony with you when I get back to work.”

His phone rang before he’d made it to the car and he flipped it open just before yanking the car door open. He barely glanced at the name on the display before pressing it against his ear.

“I’m on my way,” he said, listening as the sirens started up on the cars around them. “Should only be a few minutes.”

 _“Isabel’s starting to panic, she thinks you won’t be here in time,”_ Penny said. _Doctor Hadly said she doesn’t have long.”_

“I’ll be there,” he said, thankful they had already started moving. “Five minutes at most,” he told her.

That had been an over estimation. Ziva it seemed, learned to drive on an army race course, she zipped around corners following the police car escort without problem, speeding up as fast as she could were ever possible and breaking at the last second. He liked her style and instead of a five minute drive, it only took them three. He was out of the car the second she stopped and his feet didn’t seem to want to move fast enough as he took off at the dead run for the entrance. He navigated the corridors easily, ignoring the person who shouted at him to slow down and burst through the doors to the maternity ward.

“Isabel Walker,” he practically demanded of the nurse behind the desk. She didn’t even open her mouth before Penny called to him and he turned to see her standing in the hallway, her hand on the door handle to a room.

~~**~~

**10:46 AM – The Hospital**

“Push, Isabel,” Michelle urged. Gibbs pressed his lips against Kate’s temple and whispered that it would be over soon. The baby had crowned a minute or two ago and they were now struggling with the baby’s shoulders. He could tell she was exhausted, he would be too. She’d been awake since three that morning and even though this had been quick, it had still been hard work.

She clung to him tightly, her hand squeezing his as she bore down and screamed through the pain. He watched her face screw up as she put all her effort into giving birth to their child. Her eyes pinched and her cheeks flushed and all he could think was that she was still beautiful and he loved her. Kate relaxed back and Penny draped the cool cloth over her forehead, the calm would only last a few seconds, but it would be enough for Kate to catch her breath.

He barely managed to share a look with Penny before the contractions started again. He’d turned out the doctor’s conversation as the moment built and before he had the chance to place his own private bet on the baby’s sex, Kate was pushing again. The pattern repeated itself, only this time, Gibbs stole a look at the baby, almost completely out of her now and he couldn’t help but smile. He’d be a father again soon. Very soon.

Kate pushed again and it she barely had to put much effort into it before the baby slide easily from her and she collapsed back onto the bed.

“It’s a girl,” Michelle said and Gibbs smiled as Kate did. “What are you going to call her?”

“Victoria,” Kate breathed. Gibbs brow rose, he hadn’t mentioned the name to Kate. He had planned to, but never got around to it. It was a beautiful name and he had always wanted to name a daughter Victoria and kill anyone who dared shorten it to Vicky. His shock must have show as Kate smiled at him. “I know you too well.”

“In which case,” Michelle said moving down the side of the bed. “Meet Victoria Walker.”

“Gibbs,” he corrected and looked up at both confused women on the other side of the bed. “I’ll explain later,” he added as Michelle handed Kate their daughter.


	4. Moving On

It was a few weeks before everything was packed up and Kate was well enough to travel. Victoria had been checked out from head to little toes and Gibbs had found it very easy to worry about her before she was even out of the hospital. He had to remind himself every night that he was there to protect them - that he wouldn’t have to go through a repeat of what happened to Kelly and Shannon.

He packed up as much as he could of their things, finishing the last of his furniture for work and half wishing he could carry on with this life. The other half just screamed that he needed to be at NCIS, it only took Kate a few minutes to work out what was in his head and tell him they could always go back to this when he retired. He would remember her saying that later on, when he was too old to fight bad guys and wanted to just sit back and watch Victoria and any other kids they had play. Explaining the baby’s name to the doctor had been Gibbs’ job and had shockingly been easier than expected. Though he’d left the explanation to Penny for Kate to do and knew she had done that when he’d dropped off the last of his work.

The trip back home was much shorter than the one there. For a start, they had less stuff to take with them as almost all of it had gone into boxes and thus into removals trucks. Then there was the fact that he didn’t have to drive half way across the country, just to the airport. He sandwiched Kate against the window and strapped Victoria’s car seat into the chair between them before letting out a deep, finally relaxed sigh.

It was over, and they were going home.

Gibbs’ house changed in the weeks between their return and Kate going back to work. He found he liked it, a space in the basement was taken over by Kate and she created a protected corner nearby for Victoria where both of them could keep an eye on her as they worked. Despite the fact Gibbs had gone straight back to work, he found himself liking the new changes, the toy scattered over the couch, baby things in the front room and his bed room. He’d lay with Kate each evening, watching her breast feed and smiling as she stroked the baby’s chubby cheek.

It was one such evening, sitting at her side in bed, Victoria nursing and Kate pressed back against him that Kate made her decision.

“I don’t want to go back,” she said. Gibbs’ brow creased slightly, she wouldn’t ever have to return to any of the places they’d lived. “To work,” she added. “I got too used to being the house wife, with the painting corner in the basement.”

He watched in silence as she ran her finger down Victoria’s cheek as the baby paused in her feeding. He could almost feel the reasoning off Kate, her daughter needed her to look after her and it was a mother’s normal instinct to be the carer, not to hand her off to someone else. He’d never before pictured Kate as a stay at home mother. Then again he’d never pictured her pregnant either, and she’d been far too beautiful like that for him to ever forget it.

“I need to be here with Tori,” she said and Gibbs’ brow shot up. That was the first time anyone had shortened her name and it brought mixed feelings for a moment. Distaste for it being cut, but a sense of ease that it had been shortened in such a clever way.

“Tori?”

“Abby’s suggestion, I thought I’d give it a try.”

“Not a bad idea,” he said. “I don’t want her to grow up with her name shortened though.” Kate nodded in agreement. They could work the nickname in as she grew, but for now, it would be Victoria and nothing else.

“You’re okay with me not going back?” she asked, resting the baby forward so she could rub at her back.

“I’ll be here whatever you want to do, Kate. I’ll have fun torturing Tony into thinking it was his fault.”

Kate laughed. “You have a new punishment for him too,” she said with a smile as she settled a very sleepy Victoria back in her arms. “You can threaten him with babysitting to shut him up.”

“I couldn’t punish Victoria like that,” Gibbs said. “She too beautiful to suffer that much pain.”

Silence fell for a moment before Gibbs moved. They couldn’t let the baby fall asleep without a diaper change or she’d be up in an hour or two for a change. He rounded the bed and carefully lifted her out of Kate’s arms before moving out in the hall and into Victoria bedroom. 

“Are we the only ones to change?” Kate asked, following him. She’d always watched him, not because she didn’t trust him, which she’d explained the first time, more out of shock that he could be this careful and do something most men would run from. “We’ve moved on, and everyone else has stayed the same.”

“I haven’t changed?” he said, soothing Victoria as she started to fuss at being woken.

“Yes you have,” Kate said grinning at him. “You’re a father.” She turned from the room, leaving Gibbs with a quirked brow.

“I think mommy’s seeing things,” he said turning back to Victoria. He paused for a moment. Maybe she was right, he had changed, especially around her and the baby, at work he was the same old Jethro Gibbs, head slaps and all. He smiled. For their sake it was worth moving on, just a little.


End file.
